Fulham want Taty Castellanos as West Ham asking price set
Fulham are in the race to sign West Ham United star Taty Castellanos in the summer.
The former Lazio forward only joined the Hammers in the winter transfer window, for a fee of around £26million.
However, he could be on his way out of the London Stadium as he is not expected to stick around in the event of relegation.
Castellanos has proved to be a hit in East London, with six goals in his first 21 matches in the capital, an impressive return.
West Ham will not want to lose him, but they may not have a choice if they go down to the Championship.
Could Castellanos actually join Fulham?
West Ham need to raise over £100m in the summer if they are relegated, and Castellanos could be one of the first names out the door.
Italian journalist Marco Mampreso reported on 20 May that the Cottagers have an interest in the Argentine, who wants to stay in the Premier League.
It states that the Hammers have no intention of allowing him to depart, but if they go down, the price will be around the £17m mark.
Whether they would actual sell to a league rivals remains to be seen.
Are West Ham forced to sell Castellanos?
Castellanos is under contract until 2030, after signing a five-year deal when he joined the Irons, so in theory, the club are in full control over whether he stays or goes.
However, that likely contains a wage decrease, which the player would not be happy with, given that he is not the reason why the club are in this position.
He could probably force an exit, using the financial situation in E20, if they can't sell other players like Mateus Fernandes, Jarrod Bowen and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
| Castellanos' stats for West Ham | Premier League |
| Matches | 17 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Shots per 90 | 3.17 |
| Chances created | 12 |
| Touches in opposition box per 90 | 4.68 |
Even if they do, he may well request a loan away from the Hammers, before returning if they achieve promotion back to the top-flight.
Losing him to someone like Fulham on a permanent deal would be a huge issue, especially if they secure an immediate return to the division where they belong, if they end up in the second-tier next season.
Castellanos' future will be subject to heavy debate, and there will probably be twists and turns in the coming months.